diff --git a/plugin/contents/ui/dancer.html b/plugin/contents/ui/dancer.html
index 371ff5b..4182d83 100644
--- a/plugin/contents/ui/dancer.html
+++ b/plugin/contents/ui/dancer.html
@@ -102,14 +102,13 @@ html, body {
    ============================================================ */
 .vu-meter {
   position: absolute;
-  bottom: 4%;
+  bottom: 5%;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translateX(-50%);
   display: flex;
   align-items: flex-end;
   gap: 4px;
   pointer-events: none;
-  opacity: 0;
   transition: opacity 0.8s;
 }
 .vu-bar {
@@ -887,9 +886,14 @@ for (let i = 0; i < VU_COUNT; i++) {
 function animateVU(ts) {
   const t = ts * 0.001;
   vuBars.forEach(bar => {
-    const h  = bar._maxH * Math.abs(Math.sin(t * bar._speed + bar._phase));
-    bar.style.height  = Math.max(3, h) + 'px';
-    bar.style.opacity = 0.55 + 0.45 * (h / bar._maxH);
+    if (isPlaying) {
+      const h = bar._maxH * Math.abs(Math.sin(t * bar._speed + bar._phase));
+      bar.style.height  = Math.max(3, h) + 'px';
+      bar.style.opacity = 0.55 + 0.45 * (h / bar._maxH);
+    } else {
+      bar.style.height  = '3px';
+      bar.style.opacity = '0.15';
+    }
   });
   requestAnimationFrame(animateVU);
 }
@@ -919,15 +923,15 @@ function spawnNote() {
   setTimeout(() => el.remove(), dur * 1000 + 100);
 }
 
+let isPlaying = false;
+
 /* Spawn on every beat (500ms) with a 50 % chance of two notes */
 setInterval(() => {
+  if (!isPlaying) return;
   spawnNote();
   if (Math.random() < 0.5) spawnNote();
 }, BEAT_MS);
 
-/* First note immediately */
-spawnNote();
-
 /* ============================================================
    MUSIC INFO  (called by QML via runJavaScript)
    ============================================================ */
@@ -936,8 +940,8 @@ function updateMusic(artist, title) {
   const text = (artist && title) ? `${artist}  —  ${title}`
              : (title || artist || '— —');
   const playing = !!(artist || title);
+  isPlaying = playing;
   document.querySelector('.robot-wrap').style.opacity = playing ? '1' : '0';
-  document.querySelector('.vu-meter').style.opacity   = playing ? '1' : '0';
   if (el.textContent === text) return;
   el.textContent = text;
   if (playing) pickSkeleton();
diff --git a/plugin/contents/ui/main.qml b/plugin/contents/ui/main.qml
index aa4b303..7c6ba96 100644
--- a/plugin/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/plugin/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -28,14 +28,15 @@ WallpaperItem {
     Plasma5Support.DataSource {
         id: musicSource
         engine: "executable"
-        connectedSources: ["playerctl metadata --format '{{artist}}||{{title}}' 2>/dev/null || echo '||'"]
+        connectedSources: ["playerctl metadata --format '{{status}}||{{artist}}||{{title}}' 2>/dev/null || echo '||'"]
         interval: 2000
 
         onNewData: function(sourceName, data) {
-            var raw = data["stdout"].trim()
-            var sep = raw.indexOf("||")
-            var artist = sep >= 0 ? raw.substring(0, sep) : ""
-            var title  = sep >= 0 ? raw.substring(sep + 2) : raw
+            var raw    = data["stdout"].trim()
+            var parts  = raw.split("||")
+            var status = parts[0] || ""
+            var artist = status === "Playing" ? (parts[1] || "") : ""
+            var title  = status === "Playing" ? (parts[2] || "") : ""
             webView.runJavaScript(
                 "updateMusic(" + JSON.stringify(artist) + "," + JSON.stringify(title) + ")"
             )